A method and a device of similar types as recited supra are generally known in the art. Devices of this type are in particular designated as “high performance slicers” which are used for industrial production and processing of meat and sausage products and cheese products. Typically plural food strands are inserted in high performance slicers of this type parallel to one another, conveyed and sliced, wherein an accordingly large sized cut off blade sweeps over the cross sections of all food strands arranged adjacent to one another and thus cuts off a respective plurality of slices from the food strands with each revolution.
In a generally known method the food strands are placed by an operator in a parallel arrangement onto a conveying device configured as a conveyor belt and arranged to a large extent outside of machine housing. Then the food strands are simultaneously conveyed onto the feeding device by starting the conveyor belt, wherein the feeding device includes a number of narrow feeding belts with V-shaped cross sections, wherein the number of feeding belts corresponds to the number of simultaneously handled food strands. After a complete transfer of the food strands onto the feeding belts of the feed device the feed device is transferable through a pivot movement by e.g. 75° into the actual feed position. Previously the cutting process of the preceding plurality of food strands was completed and the support devices engaging the respective rear ends of the food strands have respectively released the residual pieces remaining at the support devices and have been moved from the end position proximal to the blade into the start position remote from the blade in order to grip and support the residual components at their ends after arrival of the next food strands at the feed position. This gripping process, however, is only initiated when the food strands due to being transferred into the “slanted position” according to the feed position in their respective front ends are placed in alignment with one another which is provided in that lower traction belts which support the feeding during the cutting process in a portion close to the blade were transferred into a locking position that is rotated by 90° and which locks the feed cross section for the food strands. The lower traction belts are thus used as a stop for the food strands that are produced with identical lengths so that due to the identity of lengths also the rear ends are approximately aligned with one another and can thus be made to interact with the support elements for all food strands which support elements are coupled to form a support unit.
A cutting device with a support unit of this type can be derived from DE 195 18 583 A1. The document shows a so called clamping plier support which is configured to grip a plurality of food strands arranged adjacent to one another from their back side and to subsequently feed them in a controlled manner to the blade of the cutting device. According to the description provided supra the clamping plier support engages the food strands as soon as they are in their feed positions, thus when they are arranged inclined relative to a horizontal axis. While the slanted food strands are fed towards the blade, the food strands can be supported through support devices, wherein in particular both lateral surfaces and a top side of a respective food strand are fixable while the respective bottom side contacts the respective feeding belt.
Another device which uses the principle of pivoting a plurality of food strands relative to horizontal is shown in EP 2 239 108 A2. Thus, the particular food strands are pivoted relative to horizontal through a separate device and are subsequently pushed or pulled from the pivoted position onto a feeding belt that is permanently slanted. During transfer of the food strands from the horizontal position into the “slanted position” the particular food strands are separated from one another through rigid divider walls and are thus blocked against lateral deviation or kinking.
It is disadvantageous for the known embodiment that in spite of an alignment of the food strands at their front ends an exactly aligned orientation at their back sides, this means rear ends, is not always successful. The reason is that the food strands while being produced by nature have a particular length tolerance which manifests itself through steps or shoulders at a back side of the food strands arranged parallel adjacent to one another. This in turn has the effect for support devices with hook shaped grippers which embed themselves into the material of the food strands that for safety reasons an engagement has to be adjusted further remote from the end of the food strand in order to positively prevent an engagement that is too close to the food strand end and thus a reduction of the maximum support force. Due to the arrangement of the plurality of the support elements in blocks an individual adjustment of the gripper hook distance from the respective food strand and is not possible. An unnecessarily large “safety distance” from the respective food strand end, however, during cutting operations causes a residual piece length that is unnecessarily large and thus causes economic disadvantages.